Shankar: My name is Shankar Dutt. I have completed 2nd year (IV Semester) of B.Sc. Physics Hons. at Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar with 9.92 CGPA. I am very curious about knowing the nature. My hobbies are reading books, chatting with friends and watching documentaries. My aim is to pursue PhD in Physics particularly Nuclear or Material Physics. I am the topper of the university. I love to teach my juniors and my classmates. We have started Physics Club in our department where I deliver lectures to my classmates and others.

IF: Which internship did you get the chance to take? What was it all about? Stipend, duration, place?

Shankar: It is a Summer Research Program for B.Sc. Students who want to do research in the field of Physics. This internship is at the Interuniversity Accelerator Centre formally known as Nuclear Science Centre. It is an autonomous institute, under UGC. It’s for one month and it is situated in Delhi. All arrangements like boarding, lodging are done by the institute.

IF: How did you come to know about the internship? To what all sources you kept yourself connected?

Shankar: Actually being a top institute in research, I had heard about it from my professors and seniors. My seniors told me. Also through the websites like www.internshala.com, www.eduasia.com , I came to know about it.

IF: Tell us about the procedure to apply for the internship. Who all are eligible to apply for this internship?

Shankar: The procedure to apply is very simple. The students of B.Sc. who are in 2nd or 3rd year can apply. You have to send them your attested transcripts and a letter of recommendation from your HOD.

IF: How competitive is the selection process? What qualities of yours, you believe helped you in having an edge over the selection process? What key things you feel were looked for by the selectors?

Shankar: The selection process is very competitive . They select only one student from one state. They have this selection criteria that they will never select 2 students from one state. Only 15 students were selected from more than 300 applications. My marks and good letter of recommendation, helped me in selection.

IF: About when did you get the news for the selection? How was the celebration?

Shankar: I got the mail from IUAC at the end of April. I was very much happy and thrilled. I told my friends and my family members about it. All were very much happy. Being selected at such an institute was a great honour for me.

IF: What preparations did you make (academic/otherwise) after the results of the internship?

Shankar: Actually as the project was not known specifically, so I didn’t do such preparation, I just studied basic Nuclear Physics and moreover my exams were over just a few days back, so I didn’t give much attention.

IF: So Shankar, could you please highlight the work/research project you carried out during the internship period? Its application in near future and your work in it?

Shankar: I worked on nanoparticles and how they could be used to detect the radiations for the safety of the persons working in such areas. Thus, it is very important for the safety of the persons working in places where there is such a threat. Moreover nanoparticles are very much useful in detectors and dosimetry. Nanomaterials is the most emerging field in the whole world. Everything is shrinking in its size. Thus Nanomaterials are very useful and this field has bright future.

IF: What was the best thing about the work culture and the internship? What were the things you liked there?

Shankar: The best thing I liked about the internship was the working atmosphere. I was given a small cabin with 24*7 high speed internet and the guides (scientists) were very much cooperative. I was fully exposed to the working scientific culture. We were also given lectures or what we call seminars by the prominent scientists of India. Total 11 such lectures were given. They were very informative. We had to submit synopsis and report (like thesis) thus it gave us sort of a live mock as to how a PhD would feel like.

IF: Were there any special events during the internships?

Shankar: Hostel life was fun. All the labs were centrally air conditioned and my hostel room was also good. No such field trip was there because everything related to my project was in the centre. But all of us went to different places in Delhi and had fun. The hostel for boys and girls was same. So we all enjoyed after working in our respective labs.

IF: What was the guidance provided by your guide? What all support did you receive from Nuclear Science Center’ administration.

Shankar: My guide was good and very much helpful. Not only my guide but every guide was very much helpful. We could ask anything from them and they were more than happy to help us. The administration was too much helpful. We could call the administration even at 2am to ask for any help. Medical help was also available at the center. The administration also guided us about various aspects of study and also about our personal life.

IF: Let’s now talk about some negatives. What problems did you or your friends face, during the internship, which your juniors may be able to avoid? (Also tell on these things: Problems before joining, any safety issues for girls, Food and accommodation? Any other issues).

Shankar: No Such Issue. The campus is very safe. There is great security check at the gate. One can’t enter the centre without prior security check-up. The guards are there in front of hostel and everywhere. So no such problem regarding safety. Basically it’s one of the safest campuses I have ever seen. The accommodation was also very good. The rooms were neat and clean and air cooled. They even helped me in reaching IUAC. Delhi is very prone to rapes and events like eve teasing but any girl in the campus is very safe, The food was also good. We have both south Indian or North Indian option in food.

IF: Anything you would like to tell us please. Feel free to share any interesting thing that happened.

Shankar: Nothing such happened. The time spend there was one of the most pleasant times of my life.

IF: Have you done any internship/training before?

ShankarNo, I just completed my second year. So this was my first Internship.

IF: To whom all would you like to thank for this internship?

Shankar: I would, first of all, pay my big thanks to my Parents who always loved me. Supported my whatever the situation was. Then my teachers who guided me at every step. And to my Friends who were with me always.

IF: How much difference did this period of 1 month make in your intellectual capabilities and mindset. In broad terms what are your gains from this?

Shankar: As I already told that only one student was selected from one state. Thus there were 15 different cultures under one roof. There it was a blend of different cultures. We learnt about one other. Moreover The main gain was that I came to know how to work in experimental field. How to write research papers thesis synopsis and how to work in research field.

IF: Advice for juniors? Which can help them in getting internships in their future college life and also advice for making the best out of it.

Shankar :Apply at many good institutes. Try to get Good Marks with Good Recommendation Letters. And work with your full heart at the place.

IF: What are your future plans after this internship and how much impact this internship will have on it?

Shankar :I was not sure of the fact that which field should I select as my research field before the internship but now I am pretty sure about Nuclear Physics and this internship made me clear a lot of concepts and research field and my career.

IF: Any views about this initiative of InternFeel, and how beneficial it would be? Any suggestions for improvement?

Shankar :Great Work. !!!!!

IF: Shankar, it was so nice to know all about this. We agree you would have been busy with your academics. Even then you took out time for this. We thank you and wish you best of luck for all your future endeavors.

Shankar: Thanks to you too. I will be ready to hear any thing in future from you people.